Antifriction side bearing for railway-cars.



m. W390. Patented m. I2, l90l. J. E. uonwoon.

ANTIFRIGTION SIDE BEARING FOR RAILWAY CARS.

(Application filed June 8, 1900.)

(No mam.

f TATES JOHN E. NORXVOOD, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

thhl'l'lFalUTiQN SEDE BEARlNG FOR HAlLWAY- CARS.

SIE'EGIIEIGATTUN forming part of Letters iEatent No. 667,990, datedFebruary 12, 190 1.

Application filed June 8, 1900- Serial lilo. 19,494. tllo model.)

'0 (tZZ whom it may OOH/66PM.

Be it known that l, JOHN E. NoRwooD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, State of Illaryland, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Antitrietion Side Bearings for Railway-Cars,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to antifriction side bearings for railway-cars; andits object is to provide a side bearing which will prevent side motionof the car-body when rounding a curve, which will be kept cleared ofdirt, and in which the autifriction-balls will be automatically andpositively brought back into a central position whenever the weight ofthe car-body is taken oft the side bearing on the truck-bolste1x Theinvention consists in certain constructions, arrangements, andcombinations of the parts,\vhicl1 will be hereinafterfully described andclaimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which Figure l is an elevation of the truck andbody bolsters of a railway-car employing side bearings constructedaccording to the principles of niyinvention, one side bearing beingshown in section and the other in elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan viewof thetruck-bolster, the upper ballboxes being removed and one cover-plate Kfor the separator-frame being also removed. Fig. 3 isa detail plan viewof a lower ball-box. Fig. 4 is a detail cross-section of the wearplatesand an end elevation of the separator-frame and antifriction-balls. Fig.5 is a detail plan view of one of the wearplates. Fig. 6 is a detailside view of the centering-wheel. Fig. 7 is a detail edge view of thecentering-wheel with a part of the hub broken away to show thecentering-spring. S is an enlarged transverse section of one sidebearing, and Fig. 9 is a detail view of the cover-plate for the hub ofthe centering-wheel.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the truck-bolster, B thecar-body bolster, and C the center bearing.

The truck-bolster A near each end has secured thereto asegmental box Dformed with two parallel curved sockets d, in which are secured byrivets d two wearing-plates E,

formed of hardened steel and each of which is provided with a curvedchannel 6, angular in crosssection, as shown particularly in Fig. at.The car-body bolster B is also provided with a ball-box D near each endin registry with the box D and provided similarly to the box D with twohardened-steel wearing-plates E, each formed with a curved channel 6,angular in cross-section. Two sets of autifriction-balls F F roll andare confined between the juxtaposed angular curved channels 6 and c, andI provide by this arrangement what I term a four-point bearingthat is tosay, each ball has four diametrically-opposed points of contact with thewearingplates E and E and are compelled to move in the direction ofcurvature only, and hence side-slipping motion of the ear-body whenrounding curves is eiitectually prevented.

G designates a ball-separator frame formed with two rows of cageholes gg, which are slightly smaller in diameter than the balls, and the frameGr fits down over the balls with each ball projecting up through one ofthe holes, so that all the balls of each set are retained. in the samerelative position with respect to one another and move back and forthwith the frame. At each end of the separatorframe G are twodownwardly-extending V-shaped flanges having inclined side edges andfitting down in the channels 6 6, so that as the frame moves the flangesg in the channels will push all the dirt out of the channels and keepthe latter clean. The ball-separator frame G is provided between the tworows of cage-holes g g with a slightlycurved row of apertures h, andunderneath the frame in horizontal bearings Z, which are formed betweenthe two curved sockets d of the box D, is journaled a centering-wheel H,having oogteeth 7t on its periphery taking in the said apertures h. Thiswheel also has a tubular hub 7;, each end of which has one-half cutaway, as at j, fora short distance, and thus the cut-away side is alittle shorter than the other side, and shoulders 7" are formed on thelong side. A torsional helical springJ is within the tubular hub, andeach end 70 of this spring is bent laterally and rests upon theshoulders j and extends over into engage ment with the said bearings Z.W ith this arrangement the spring J will be compressed when the wheel His rotated in either direction by the movement of the separator-frame G,and as soon as the pressure which moves the frame is relieved the springand wheel will bring the said frame back to its central normal position.

A slotted cover-plate L fits down over the hub of the centering-wheel Hand holds it in its bearings Z, and a narrow curved coverplate K hasposition over the separator-frame G between the two rows 9 g ofcage-holes and prevents the frame from jumping out of engagement withthe teeth of the wheel when the pressure of the car-body is suddenlyrelieved.

As shown particularly in Figs. 6 and 7, the centering-wheel H has anopening m, communicating with a slot m in the tubular hub i, throughwhich the bent ends kof the spring pass when the spring is inserted inthe hub.

While I have shown each ball-box provided with two wear-plates E and tworows of antifriction-balls, I do not wish to confine myself to suchexact arrangement, as it is obvious that one wear-plate and one row ofballs may be dispensed with, and I may construct the bearing with asingle row of balls.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a side bearing for railway-cars, the combination of the upper andlower ballboxes; curved wear-plates secured in said ball-boxes andformed with V-shaped channels angular in cross-section;antifrictionballs rolling within said channels; and a ballseparatorframe interposed between the upper and lower wear-plates and havingcageholes in which the balls are received and at its endsdownwardly-extending flanges having inclined side edges fitting in thechannels of the lower wear-plates whereby to keep said channels clear ofdirt.

2. In a side bearing for railway-cars, the combination of the upper andlower ballboxes; autifriction-balls rolling bet ween said boxes; aball-separator frame interposed between said upper and lower boxes andhaving cage-holes receiving said balls and a row of apertures h; and acentering-wheel having teeth which take in said apertures.

3. In a side bearing for railway-cars, the combination of the upper andlower ballboxes; antifriction-balls rolling between said boxes; aball-separator frame interposed between said upper and lower boxes andhaving cage-holes receiving said balls and a row of apertures g; acentering-wheel having teeth taking in said apertures, and provided witha tubular hub; and a spring in said hub which normally keeps the saidframe in central position;

4:. In a side bearing for railway-cars, the combination of the upper andlower ballboxes, the lower ball-box being formed with horizontalbearings; antifriction-balls rolling between said boxes; aball-separator frame interposed between said upper and lower boxes andformed with cage-holes receiving said balls and a row of apertures; acenteringwheel journaled in the said horizontal bearings and havingteeth taking in said apertures and provided with a tubular hub formedwith shoulders; and a torsional spring in said hub having its ends incontact with said shoulders and in engagement with the said bearings.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN E. NORWOOD. Witnesses:

THOS. O. BAILEY, CHARLES L. VIETSCH.

